Two of the three women who stood for RCGP council seats – London GP Dr Una Coales and Glasgow GPDr Margaret McCartney – were among the six successful candidates announced today. Deputy GPC chairman Dr Richard Vautrey was also among those elected to the council.

Two of the candidates, Dr McCartney and Bristol GP Dr Terry Kemple, were elected to the council for the first time.

Dr Kemple, who has worked in Zambia, New Zealand, Australia and the USA, called for the GP/patient relationship to be protected. He said trust was the ‘essential ingredient’ in the relationship.

Dr McCartney's statement said the RCGP needed to continue speaking up against the ‘destruction of the NHS’. ‘We need to stand up for professional values and patient need regardless of popularity,’ her manifesto said.

She also said the ‘political interference’ into GPs’ work had become ‘burdensome and harmful’.